Infinity and Beyond, or so I Thought... •completed•

Chapter Sixteen

LAUREN'S P.O.V.

By lunch everyone had heard Brenton and I dating. I received glares from the girls who wanted to date him, approving looks from is friends, disapproving looks from the girls who used to be my best friends, and sad looks from Caden.

I saw the disapproving looks and went up to the girls. Olivia, Brandi, Lilly, and Brooklyn were sitting at the table have a whispered conversation. "Hi, girls," I said. "Can I talk to you?"

Olivia had a sour look on her face when she said, "Fine, but make it quick."

I began, "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for not telling you, and to ask you how Jordyn would feel about this if she were still here today." Jordyn's body had been found just outside town three days ago and the school was giving anyone who signs in at the funeral a free absence next Tuesday.

Olivia grimaced. "Why would you bring her up? You didn't even like her."

"What? She was my best friend. I loved her like a sister. She was the only one there for me when Benji died. The only one. And you have the nerve to say I didn't even like her. Go to hell, Olivia. She would have been ashamed that you are treating anyone this way. I didn't tell you, not because I didn't trust you, but because I didn't want it to be true."

Olivia's expression changed. "Well, I didn't know that. But guess what? I still don't care. You have the nerve to go out with the hottest guy in school, hands down, even though the last relationship you were in, you managed to get pregnant, and breakup all in a span of about three days."

"Are you being serious? Leave Brenton out of it. He asked me out. Not the other way around. And I broke up with Hunter because he suggested I get an abortion. Not because I was pregnant."

Brooklyn butted in. "Have you told Coach yet? She's not gonna let you stay on the squad. We can't afford a pregnant girl on our team if we want to win at regionals."

Shit. That's right. We had just won at sectionals and we were headed to regionals in two weeks. And I hadn't been going to practice. But Lexi was. Speak of the devil. She came up to the table we were at and smiled.

"Guess what, Brooklyn?"

Brooklyn shrugged and said, "What?"

"Now that Little Miss Goody Two Shoes here is pregnant, Coach is kicking her off the squad. And that means that you are looking at your new Jefferson High Cougars cheerleading captain!"

Everyone gasped. "There you have it, Brooklyn. She already knows."

I walked out of the cafeteria with my head held high. I would not let Lexi get to me. Suddenly she called out my name.

"Lauren! Sorry to hear that you won't be competing on the squad. Next time, maybe you'll think about using protection." Everyone in the cafeteria burst out laughing.

As I left the cafeteria, I ran straight into Brenton. He heard the laughing and wrapped his arms around me. "Hey, it's going to be okay," he murmured, stroking my hair. Suddenly he let go and walked into the cafeteria.

"Where the hell is Lexi at?" Everyone pointed towards Lexi. "Leave my girlfriend alone. She doesn't need your shit. If I were her I would beat it out of you already. So leave her alone. It's not just her fault she's pregnant, or just her fault she and Hunter broke up."

Lexi looked up at him and shrugged. "And what are you going to do if I don't?"

Brenton laughed. "In case you haven't noticed, I'm pretty good friends with a specific cheerleader. And I know for a fact, she won't hesitate to kick your bitchy, spoiled ass."

Lexi laughed. "Please. No one is stupid enough to try."

Suddenly a cheerleader I vaguely remembered hanging out with stood next to Brenton.

"That's what you think. I personally have had enough of you and your rich bitch act. It needs to stop." the girl, that I know recognied as Audrey, said.

I stood by in amusement as Lexi turned every shade of red possible. Lexi suddenly turned to me.

"You have friends? Since when, you little whore?"

She was in for it now.

Brenton stepped in before I could even begin to speak.

"That's the shit I'm talking about! You get on everyone's nerves but no one says shit to you because your dad's the fucking assistant principal! Dammit! I hate what you do to everyone!"

I walked next to Brenton and put my hand on his arm. "Brenton, let me do this. Lexi, I'm done with you. Don't talk about me, don't talk to me, I've got enough on my plate without you. So if you'll excuse me, I have places to be." I turned on my heel and walked out of the cafeteria with Brenton and Audrrey trailing behind me. That's right. I'm back, baby.

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-baby-boo-1027